Fish

One extremely popular fish in Bombay, India's financial center, is pomfret, found in most coastal areas of the country. In one of my favorite pomfret preparations, called patrani macchi, the fish is stuffed with an herb paste and steamed in a banana leaf—which lends a unique fragrance and makes an attractive presentation at table (but should not be eaten). As pomfret is difficult to find in most parts of the United States, we suggest salmon, which is equally delicious.

Any nut can be substituted for the pine nuts. Toast them for fuller flavor.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Thai cooking frequently makes use of the roots of cilantro; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

For a savory and simple dinner, serve this trout with some roasted potatoes and a green salad tossed with pears and crumbled blue cheese.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. We serve this salad with slices of bread or crackers.

(Fish with Moroccan Seasoning) The fragrant blend of seasonings called chermoula can be used for meats and poultry as well as fish.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Frying the lime wedges gives them a pleasing golden color and enables the juice to squirt out with the slightest pressure.

NORMANDY In Normandy, this richly flavored stew would be served with a composed salad of watercress, shallots, and roasted beets. What to drink: Muscadet, Chablis, or unoaked Chardonnay.

"My wife and I had some great fish dishes at the Alpine Bistro in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, "says Sanford M. Skalka, New Providence, New Jersey. "I would like the recipe for the sesame-crusted tuna steak, which came with a flavorful Asian-style sauce."

Of course, you must have toasted bagels with this. Spinach salad with apple cider dressing would be nice on the side, and warm cherry strudel is a fine finish.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 hr

Mark Taylor of West Hartford, Connecticut, writes: "I started cooking out of necessity when I first graduated from college, since I couldn't afford to eat out. Having grown up watching my mother cook for our large family, I used her recipes. She was always trying new dishes whenever we had guests and sharing her adventurous attitude toward eating. These days, even though my wife and I both work, we still cook several times a week. Now I tend to rely on recipes I've picked up from restaurants and friends. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and figuring out new ways to improve a recipe, as I've done with the one here." Serve the fish and sauce over couscous.

At the restaurant the chef garnishes this dish with fresh seasonal flowers, chervil, and chives.

Broccoli is called sparaceddi in Sicilian. In this side dish, it is "drowned" in a heady mixture of olive oil, onions, anchovies, olives, red wine and cheese. While there are variations of the basic preparation throughout Italy, food historians generally think it to be of Sicilian origin.